MARRIAGE STORY (2020): The Things I Liked…

Marriage Story (2019), Adam Driver, Netflix
Marriage Story (2019), Adam Driver, Netflix

Marriage Story is a good movie. Beautifully written, well acted – by everyone, including Ray Liotta, Laura Dern and young Azhy Robertson.

Directed by Noah Baumbach of Greenberg (2010) and Frances Ha (2012); Marriage Story is a film I wanted to see because of its director’s previous works. I’m also a big fan of the lead actors, (Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver). I loved the very well edited trailer and I wanted to see what Baumbach’s movie had to say about this thing called marriage. Particularly the very type that ends in divorce.

Categorised as a comedy / drama, you’ll indeed smile and laugh but certainly not as much as you’ll be moved almost to tears if not actual streaming tears. This one is a film that deals with the classic challenges faced in many modern relationships. Especially, the kind that can arise where both parties are ambitious and with clear ideas of what they want for their life and career. It’s also a story that features the one thing that’s always there as one of the key reasons for the breakdown of all relationships; ‘ineffective communication’. 

Marriage Story (2019), Scarlett Johansson, Azhy Robertson, Adam Driver, Netflix
Marriage Story (2019), Scarlett Johansson, Azhy Robertson, Adam Driver, Netflix

I’m glad to confirm that the things I liked most about the trailer for Marriage Story are the very things that stood out beautifully in the  finished film. Great writing and dialogue, editing so well executed that I personally didn’t need a second to question any of Baumbach’s creative decisions; they all made sense to me since everything felt rooted in a level of unquestionable realism that resonated.

As you watch Baumbach’s movie, almost throughout you’ll find yourself smiling, then sad within seconds or minutes. Yet it’s unlikely you’ll be mad that you decided to watch at all.

Other things that stood out about Marriage Story… I loved the humour, perfectly choreographed scenes and the film’s general rhythm. There’s also the heartbreaking yet fun to watch courtroom drama antics, that last big argument and Driver’s character’s singing at the very end. That scene was just somehow perfect. 

Definitely watch it because it’s very good.

Happy Film Loving 

G

WAITING FOR ANYA (2020): New Trailer From Anjelica Huston, Noah Schnapp, Jean Reno, Sadie Frost…

Waiting For Anya (2020), Anjelica Huston, Jean Reno, Vertical Releases
Waiting For Anya (2020), Anjelica Huston, Jean Reno, Vertical Releases

Based on a true story; starring Anjelica Huston, Jean Reno, Sadie Frost and Noah Schnapp, Waiting For Anaya is a new Ben Cookson directed wartime drama. The story of Jo (Schnappp), a young shepherd along with the help of the widow Horcada (Huston) as the help to smuggle Jewish children across the border from southern France into Spain, during World War2.

Additional key cast includes Frederick Schmidt, Thomas Kretschmann, Nicholas Rowe, Gilles Marini…

The moving and well edited trailer grabbed my attention and now I’m compelled to find out if Anya and her father are reunited.

Tómas Lemarquis, Joséphine de La Baume, Elsa Zylberstein, Urs Rechn, William Abadie, Jean-François Balmer, Raj Awasti

Waiting For Anya Release Dates: February 7th, 2020 (US); February 14th, 2020 (UK)…

Happy Film Loving

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BIRDS OF PREY (2020): New official Trailer Starring margot Robbie, Mary elizabeth Winstead, Ewan McGregor, Chris messina…

Birds Of Prey (2020), Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Margot Robbie, Jurnee Smollett-Bell
Birds Of Prey (2020), Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Margot Robbie, Jurnee Smollett-Bell

Read my spoiler-free movie review of Birds Of Prey – And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn (2020).


The latest trailer for Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn in DC Universe’s Birds Of Prey just arrived…

It’s a good looking trailer that certainly has me excited to experience the entirety of Robbie’s performance, both emotional and physical.

Chris Messina, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ewan McGregor, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Derek Wilson, Rosie Perez, Matthew Willig, Charlene Amoia, Isabel Pakzad and Ali Wong Also star.

Birds Of Prey – And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn Release Dates: February 7th, 2020 (US & UK)…

Happy Film Loving

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FIRST COW (2019): New trailer Starring John Magaro, Alia Shawkat, Orion Lee, Toby Jones…

First Cow (2019), John Magaro, A24
First Cow (2019), John Magaro, A24

Starring John Magaro and Orion Lee, First Cow is astory of human connection featuring a loner / cook named Cookie and Chinese immigrant King Lu.

Set in Oregon Territory among a group of fur trappers, the two men collaborate on business that’s reliant on the participation of a wealthy landowner’s prized milking cow.

Directed by Kelly Reichardt, additional key cast includes Toby Jones, Alia Shawkat, Rene Auberjonois…

I’m curious about those ‘cakes,’ the bromance and the historical period in which First Cow is set.

Ewen Bremner, Scott Shepherd, Ted Rooney, Gary Farmer, Patrick D. Green, Dylan Smith, Lily Gladstone, Orion Lee and Mitchell Saddleback also star.

First Cow Release Dates: March 6th, 2020 (US)…

Happy Film Loving

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TEEN SPIRIT (2018): The Things I Liked…

Teen Spirit (2018), Elle Fanning
Teen Spirit (2018), Elle Fanning, Interscope Films

Teen Spirit, the Max Minghella directed music / drama about a small town teenager with dreams of pop stardom is one I watched for two main reasons. The first being my curiosity about Minghella’s directing talents, especially since I’m such a fan of much of his late father‘s great works. The second reason is, I simply needed to hear Elle Fanning’s British accent. 

I’ll start by confirming that the talented young Fanning’s accent is of course good. In fact, I found it so convincing that I actually forgot to question it.

As for Minghella’s directing chops, there was a  period where the film’s great pacing slowed down in a noticeable way. The other moment I wasn’t delighted by is when the predictable exploitative love interest storyline took hold. Perhaps I’m just too avid a movie watcher to have not seen that coming but I definitely wish that particular scenario wasn’t so obvious to me, in effect making that moment of the film feel tedious.

Besides the above mentioned two instances, Teen Spirit is well acted and kept my full attention most of the time. Particularly since I very much connected with Violet’s (Fanning) hustle for a better reality. And as she made that final walk to the stage, it could not have been more intense and moving because of all it must have meant.

Watch it if you’re curious.

Happy Film Loving.

G

COME AS YOU ARE (2019): New Trailer Starring Grant Rosenmeyer, Gabourey Sidibe, Hayden Szeto, Ravi Patel…

Come As You Are (2020)
Come As You Are (2020)

Directed by Richard Wong; new comedy / drama Come As You Are stars Grant Rosenmeyer, Hayden Szeto, Gabourey Sidibe and Ravi Patel.

A remake of Belgian film Hasta La Vista (2011), Come As You Are follows three young men with disabilities who are on a road trip with a jaded nurse driver. The road trip is to a brothel in Montreal; one that caters to people with special needs…

I already like the awkward humour and the dynamic between the guys and Sidibe’s character. This and learning something new are my reasons for watching.

Janeane Garofalo, C.S. Lee, Jennifer Jelsema, Martha Kuwahara, Daisye Tutor, Delaney Feener, Kari Perdue, Netta Walker, Michael Brunlieb, Asta Philpot and Christian Litke also atar.

Come As You Are Release Dates: February 14th, 2020 (US)…

Happy Film Loving

G

THE NEW MUTANTS (2020): New Trailer Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Maisie Williams, Alice Braga, Antonio Banderas…

The New Mutants (2020), Anya Taylor-Joy, 20th Century Fox
The New Mutants (2020), Anya Taylor-Joy, 20th Century Fox

The New Mutants is an action / thriller about five young mutants held in a secret facility against their will.

Directed by Josh Boone; starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Maisie Williams, Alice Braga and Antonio Banderas, the young mutants must  fight to escape their past sins and save themselves.

If you’re thinking, ‘wait, didn’t this get released two years ago?‘ Well, the original trailer was released in 2018 and since then the release date has been pushed to this year. If you’re also wondering what this trailer has to do with X-MEN, the new mutant are a team of mutant heroes comprised of the first graduates from Charles Xavier’s (Professor X) school for young mutants; so the answer is really everything.

I’m interested because of Taylor-Joy and the X-men link. Perhaps what the X-Men franchise has been needing outside of a break is some fresh young faces.

Charlie Heaton, Blu Hunt, Happy Anderson, Henry Zaga, Sarah Bennani, Colbi Gannett, Max Schochet, Tony Saquett, Thomas Kee and ickey Gilmore also star.

The New Mutants Release Dates: 28th August 2020 (US)…

Happy Film Loving

G

A FALL FROM GRACE (2020): New Trailer Starring Tyler Perry, Bresha Webb, Mehcad Brooks, Crystal Fox, Adrian Pasdar…

A Fall From Grace (2020), Bresha Webb, Netflix
A Fall From Grace (2020), Bresha Webb, Netflix

Bresha Webb, Mehcad Brooks , Crystal Fox and Adrian Pasdar are the stars of new thriller A Fall From Grace.

Written, directed by and also starring Tyler Perry, this is the story of a woman whose new love’s true colours only come out once she’s married to him; leading to the implosion of her short lived joy…

I’m giving this one a chance out of curiosity about the perfect circumstance that led to Fox’s character falling victim to Brook’s despicable con.

Fingers crossed that the courtroom dramatics will also be fun to watch because I really do love those are good.

Cicely Tyson, Phylicia Rashad, Sandra Ellis Lafferty, Nathan Anderson, Michael Rose, Walter Fauntleroy, James William Ballard, Matthew Law, James Healy Jr. and Frances Mitchell also star.

A Fall From Grace Release Dates: January 17th, 2020 (US) / Netflix…

Happy Film Loving

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